For customers like Colin Walker, who lives in the hamlet of Willitoft to the South of York, the difference has been life-changing.
“It’s like winning the lottery. It has given me access to the world, within a second,” said Colin. “Getting full fibre broadband has made us part of the rest of the world, but I can still live in the countryside and keep my distance.”
Quickline, the rural broadband provider, was awarded the contracts for West Yorkshire and the York area (Lot 8) and South Yorkshire (Lot 20) in 2024 under the UK Government’s Project Gigabit programme.
Each contract includes phased delivery targets. By the end of March 2025, Quickline was required to connect 6,273 funded premises in West Yorkshire and the York area. This target was surpassed, with 6,426 homes and businesses connected, including premises in communities such as Harden, near Bingley and Bradshaw, near Thornton.
In South Yorkshire, the first milestone target of 3,621 addresses isn’t due until the end of June, but as of 31st March, Quickline has achieved this number, well ahead of schedule. Communities benefiting include Barnby Dun, near Doncaster, Ealand, Keadby, and Todwick.
When including the addresses Quickline has reached as part of its commercial build across rural West and South Yorkshire, more than 30,000 addresses now have gigabit-capable connectivity.
Colin added: “If you can’t access decent internet nowadays, you are just left behind and forgotten – so being connected to full fibre broadband has made a massive difference to us.”
Telecoms Minister Chris Bryant said: “Quickline’s exceptional progress in Yorkshire shows what can be achieved when government and industry work together to tackle digital inequality, ensuring people like Colin can make the most of the modern world no matter where they live.
“By exceeding these first milestones and connecting over 10,000 government-funded properties ahead of schedule, we’re already delivering on our commitment to level up digital infrastructure across the country, creating a more connected Britain where geography is no barrier to opportunity.”
Dan Hague, Project Gigabit Delivery Director at Quickline, said: “These contracts are complex by nature, often involving challenging rural builds and limited existing infrastructure. That’s why we’re proud to not only hit, but exceed, our first milestones – particularly so in South Yorkshire.
“We’re still in the early stages of our Project Gigabit contracts and have a long way to go, and we remain focused on staying on track and delivering the broadband connectivity that rural communities across Yorkshire and Lincolnshire need and deserve.
“Thanks to the commitment of our teams and build partners, we’re connecting thousands of premises and making real progress on closing the digital divide.”
Project Gigabit is the UK Government funded programme enabling hard-to-reach communities access fast, reliable, gigabit-capable broadband, reaching parts of the UK that might otherwise miss out on upgrades to next-generation speeds.
